Master of Mine
by QueenButterina
Summary: After the deadly battle on Starkiller Base, Rey has arrived on Ach-To and found a legendary Jedi to be her new master. But on a loud stormy night, Rey hears a man's deep, lulling voice whisper in her ear. His voice. Kylo Ren and his Knights are coming. (WIP progress! Let me know if you want more :)
1. Chapter 1: The Voice

"Couldn't we go catch some fish instead?" Rey cringed, watching Luke pour another spoonful of brown stew into a bowl, handing it to her. Steam rose from the murky liquid. A wafting stench of herbs and weeds wrinkled her freckled nose. It usually tasted much better than it smelled. Usually.

"You mean get blown into the water and drown in this storm? No." Luke sat on his favorite stool and placed his warm bowl on their small stone table. Countless wax candles and lanterns placed around the stone hut set a cozy, warm glow for their dinner. Besides training in the morning, this is the time of day Rey enjoyed most. She and Luke rarely ever spoke during their meals. Luke just quietly sipped his stew while he watched Rey stuff her mouth with fish. Yet somehow, it never bothered Rey. They were both just thankful for the company.

Though, on this particular night, something felt… wrong. Rey could feel it in the energy around them. Around the hut. Around the island.

The heavens outside were as gray as the vest she wore over her shirt and the linen bracers on her arms. Every once in a while, a loud rumbling noise clapped through the clouds and lit them up with a bolt of light. Master Luke had called it thunder and lightning. A normal occurrence before clouds drenched the island in water. Rain, apparently. Having never seen anything other than sandstorms on Jakku, she'd been frightened to her wits the first night on Ach-To. So much, Master Luke had no choice but to use the Force and calm her enough to sleep through all the noise. Had he not been there, she would have thought the galaxy was collapsing.

No. This uneasy feeling she felt now wasn't due to the weather. It was a kind of... whisper. A voice.

A faint noise that would vanish as soon as she'd turn her head in the direction where she heard it. She couldn't decipher the words it would whisper to her, only the voice. A man's deep, low voice practically brushing her ear with his breath, sending a hot, pleasant ripple down her spine to her legs, making them weak.

She'd heard it numerous times here on Ach-To. Even once in the middle of the night at the resistance base in the Illenium System. One night after she and Finn had fought for their lives against the fearsome darksider, Kylo Ren. Nephew of her new Jedi Master.

No matter how many times she realized it, she couldn't wrap her head around it. How could he - the dark and loathsome thing that he is - be the son of a charming, brave smuggler like Han Solo? How could he be the prince born to a graceful, fearless general as Princess Leia Organa? How could Luke Skywalker - the wisest, most powerful Jedi alive - possibly be his uncle? How could they, such good people, all be related to such a monster? It didn't make sense.

Perhaps… Kylo Ren had not always been such a beast? Maybe... Maybe he had been a good person too.

Absurd. She rolled her eyes, dismissing the thought. No good person would ever betray, murder, or... abandon their family. Ever.

She gulped down the pain of the wound she'd carried for so many years and drank more of her stew, trying not to gag.

"_Rey..._"

She choked on the bread she was chewing. Her eyes peeled wide at the familiar voice whispering softly in her ear.

"_Scavenger_," it said. "_I hear you, scavenger. I feel you._"

Her heart pounded against her chest. She knew that voice all too well. It was the same despicable voice that had been hissing in her ear while almost every inch of her mind was searched and invaded, revealing things she had never uttered to anyone. The same voice belonging to the man who offered to be her teacher, to have a place by his side. It was _his_ voice.

"Ren...?" she gasped.

"What?" Master Luke's blue eyes widen behind his wrinkles.

"That voice," said Rey. "Don't you hear it?"

He set his bowl aside, his eyes glued to Rey's. "Voice?"

"A man... He's talking... In my head… It's him. It's Ren," she stood straight up, listening for any sounds of approach outside the hut.

"Ben?" Luke exclaimed and closed his eyes, feeling through the Force.

Ben. Yes, that was his name. The name Han had called him on the bridge at Starkiller Base. His real name.

"_I'm coming for what I want_," Kylo Ren whispered. "_Stay out of my way and I won't be forced to hurt you_."

She closed her eyes as well, calming her breathing, reaching out through the Force. It allowed her to look past the hut, through the wet grass fields, past the roaring ocean waves, up into the dark sky where a frightening and familiar black command shuttle was flying into the atmosphere.

Inside, a trail of warmth beckoned her to follow, leading her to a room where a man dressed in black robes hunched over a chrome sink. The same chrome decorated his bone-chilling mask sitting on the table next to him.

"You shouldn't lurk where you're not invited, Scavenger," his tone lightened, his head cocking. "It's rude."

"What do you want from me?" she demanded.

"Nothing from you. I offered you a chance, and you refused. Leave the island now and I won't kill you."

"I suggest the same," she growled. "It's not enough you murdered your father? You're after your uncle as well?"

A wave not too different from the waves crashing against the rocks outside loomed over both of them. It was unbearable, cold. Sadness, loss, and regret. It almost brought tears to Rey's closed eyes. She felt his shoulders slump lower, his head shaking as if to make the feeling go away. Was this sadness coming from him?

"Run while you can, Scavenger," he said. "We're Coming."

He was gone.

Wind howled outside of the hut. Leaves and twigs slapped against the stones, sending an icy shiver of fear crawling down Rey's skin. "Luke - " her voice trembled.

"You have to leave," he slipped his arms into his brown robe. "Now. Take the falcon. Find the rebel base. You'll be safe there. Do whatever you can to sever the connection."

"But -"'

"Tell Leia... Tell her I'm sorry. But it had to be done." He pulled his hood up, masking his own face and called to his lightsaber. It came flying to his hand. He gripped it tight, the white of his knuckles threatening to break through his skin.

"No," Rey reached for him before he could trample out into the rain. "No, I'm not running away. I'm staying with you."

"Rey, this isn't training!" he scowled. "I've taught you much but not enough. It's too dangerous. You're not ready."

"I fought him once before!" she snapped. "I fought him and I defeated him."

"Because the Force willed it so," Luke said. "There's no way of telling if it will favor you again. He won't be alone this time. Are you ready to face an entire army of him?"

Rey held her tongue, remembering how close she'd come to death the last time. But she also remembered Finn, her friend, who had fought for their lives. Alone. Who had been left to die. Alone.

Luke's mournful eyes rested on the chrome and black lightsaber hilt resting on the small stone table. He picked it up, holding it in his hands one last time. His old saber. His father's saber. "Please," he handed it to her, "take good care of it. And go. Now."

Without another word, he headed into the cold, leaving Rey behind in the warmth. She stared at the saber, her own reflection blinking back at her. Every fiber in her being screamed at her to flee. To take the falcon and not look back. But the energy around her, enveloping those feelings of fear and soothing them, told her differently.

_Stay_, it almost said, _you must stay. You must stay and face him._

She couldn't abandon Luke. Not when he would need her most. She might not be fully trained, but she was strong. That, she knew.

Not even bothering to slip on her own robe, she wrapped her hand tight around the lightsaber hilt and ran out into the cold pounding rain. She gasped at the sight of Kylo Ren's monstrous black command shuttle landing on a small mound of earth below.


	2. Chapter 2: Mine

Under the cover of darkness, Rey made her way down the infinite stony steps, following Luke's hooded figure as he walked towards the ship landing far below. She wondered if Master Luke could sense her presence behind him or the sharp panic in her chest when she missed a step.

Smoke blasted out of the ship's exhausts and the landing pad slowly came down. Masked men dressed in black robes from head to toe came down with it. The Knights of Ren.

There were six of them. Tall, built, and menacing. Each carried a different weapon in their gloved hands. Their sharp edges gleamed with anticipation. Luke stood drenched in rain with his head high to face them, the hilt of his saber shining in the palm of his robotic hand. Rey hid behind a boulder close by, keeping a careful watch on the men. She expected to see Ren come stomping out of the shuttle behind them, his chaotic red saber glowing in his hand. But he didn't.

The Knights were alone, their attention focused solely on the old man in the brown robe standing proud before them. Water splashed in the grass and mud beneath their feet when they came forward. The Knight with a checkered steel pattern on his mask was the first to speak over the thunder.

"I have to say. I expected to find you in better conditions, my old master," he chuckled at Luke beneath his mask. "Seems the years have aged you."

"The older, the wiser, Phillip," Luke croaked. "The years have aged you as well, but your mind remains as childish as the day I first met you. Where is Ben?"

"Phillip? Ben?" spoke another. "We don't know anyone by those names. We're Knights of Ren. Not Jedi scum."

_"I told you to leave."_ Kylo Ren's voice slipped into Rey's mind again. It was louder, closer. She whipped her head around, her eyes scanning the darkness around the moss-covered boulders and mounds of grass behind her.

"Where are you?" she demanded, her wet skin sprouting in goosebumps.

_"Unless... you've changed your mind about joining me?"_ There was a bud of curiosity in his tone, excitement. It disgusted Rey to her very core.

"Only if it meant slicing your face in half again before I kill you," her nostrils flared, blood warming her face.

Master Luke would not approve of her speaking like this. It wasn't the Jedi way. But just the thought of Ren was enough to make her forget about the rules completely. Beating him to the ground at Starkiller Base had satisfied her too much to deny.

She felt the corners of Kylo's lips curl at her thoughts. _"The darkness is strong in you. It was strong in you then and it's strong in you now. It calls to you. Let me teach you to embrace it. Come with me."_

"I won't leave him," she scowled. "I won't let you hurt him."

_"He won't be the one I'll hurt,"_ he mumbled, shame dangling from his words. All at once, she felt his soothing voice gone from her thoughts.

But he was still here. Somewhere. She felt him.

"Take us to the Jedi temple, old man," one of the Knights growled. "Don't make us ask you again."

"Jedi Temple? On Ach-To?" Luke snorted. "No such thing."

"Don't play stupid with us! We know you found it. It's the only reason you're here. And now you're going to show us where it is."

"That's where you're wrong," Luke said, igniting his saber. With a powerful swish, it cast a green glow all around them. "The only thing I'm showing you is your way off this island."

The Knight with the checkered mask chuckled at his words and raised his weapon up high. "So be it."

With a chilling howl, he ran at Luke. The Jedi raised his saber just in time and blocked the blow, striking back at him. The others gripped their weapons tighter followed suit. And Luke, outnumbered, took them all on. He moved in strides. Blocking, striking, slashing his lightsaber at any part of them he could reach. A look of anger masked his own wet face. In all their training sessions Rey had never seen him fight like this before. He was usually so calm, relaxed, in control. Now, he was ferocious and powerful. Darker.

One of the Knights fell back behind the others, sneaking around to strike Luke from behind. And the Jedi, too distracted by the other's blows, was walking right into the trap. Rey gripped the cold hilt of her saber and bared her teeth. A blast of thunder roared in the sky when she bolted from behind the boulder. The blue glow of her saber lit her way towards the kill. But the Knight of Ren was quicker. Hearing the sloshing of her boots in the mud, he turned before striking Luke, blocking Rey's swing with a furious grunt. He shoved her away. Rey's boots slipped in the mud but didn't let herself falter, glaring at him through the rain.

"Rey!" Luke shouted from behind the mob of Knights surrounding him. The panic in his voice chilled her spine. "Rey, go! Now!"

"Looks like you'll be needing a new master, pretty girl," said the Knight, flipping his iron weapon in front of Rey. She could feel the repulsive leer beneath his mask. Feel his eyes feasting over every inch of her. "Come here and kneel for me, and I won't slice your neck open."

Her heart pounded in her throat. She looked back to Luke fighting off three knights at once, one dead in the mud. The Jedi's armed shook with every blow he blocked. If she didn't help him now, she never would again.

_My friend in trouble and a masked monster in my way. Child's play._

She blinked away water from her eyes and lunged forward. He raised his weapon as quick as the lightning in the sky. Clash! Rey gasped and trembled at the brutal force. She swung her saber towards his legs, but he blocked it with a chuckle, knocking her back into the mud. The saber slipped from her wet hand and she scrambled to retrieve it. Failing. Her hands and arms coated in mud, she looked up at the Knight looming over her. She wiped the water from her eyes but only smeared dirt on her cheek. Through the blur, she caught sight of Luke's saber in the distance. Still fighting them off, still glowing green, still hoping.

Raindrops dripped down the Knight's shining mask. He raised his weapon high with both hands before her, and she rolled away from beneath him. His blade cut through the lake of mud she'd been sitting in. Beads of icy water dripped down her back from the buns in her hair as she reached out her arm. Her silver saber flew out of the mud and she reached out further to catch it.

It passed her waiting palm. She frowned in confusion, panting, turning to see where it had gone. She choked at the sight of it.

Kylo Ren's hulking, hooded figure stood a few steps behind her. Rey stared at her own nervous reflection in the chrome lines of his mask, the hollow eyes. He looked over her saber as if it were an old toy he had found and then stared past Rey at the Knight, his mask menacing.

"Go bring me Skywalker," Kylo said to him. "You're finished here."

"Master, she's still standing," the Knight protested. "Let me finish properly -"

"Did you hear me?" Kylo growled. "She's _mine_."

With a frustrated grunt, the Knight lowered his weapon and sauntered off to find the others. Rey looked back at Kylo and saw he was already looking at her. Without a word, he tossed her the saber, and she caught it in her left hand, igniting it as he did his. She didn't ask why. Only pointed it at him and swung. Red collided with blue. A violet glow encircled them.

She swung to her left, and he was quick to catch her, returning the favor. With brute strength, he swung at her until she was walking backward, leading her away from Luke and the fight. Around boulders, rocks, trees, and mud, they danced under the thunder and lightning. Sweat trickled down the sides of her face as she heard the sound of waves crashing against rocks, getting louder and louder. He was leading her towards it. To another cliff where he planned to trap her again. She called to the Force for guidance as she stepped back from him some more. She felt the ground getting steeper, the grass getting taller. Itchy, wet strands of it stuck to the exposed skin of her legs. But the Force remained silent.

It was he who spoke. "No," he said, wind sweeping up his cape. "Keep your left foot forward. More support."

Rey blinked. What in Maker's name was he doing?

"Keep it raised at all times. Both hands," he nodded, demonstrating with his own massive saber.

She mimicked his grip and stance, and she lunged forward again. Anticipating her move, Kylo blocked her with ease, parrying her back until she was right on the edge of the grassy cliff. Black waves smashed against the island below. A nervous Rey held her weapon up as he had told her, but there was nowhere else to run.

Kylo lowered his saber, a quiet hum cutting the space between them. "You've lost," he said, unmoving. "Surrender. Join me."

"Never!" she shouted at him and closed her eyes as she had done before, but nothing filtered through. The Force was grave and silent, twisting anxious knots in her stomach. She hoped to see Luke's green saber running up just in time, but there was only darkness behind Ren.

"You'd rather die than come with me?" he asked.

"I'd rather die than follow a monster like you!" she spat back.

For a moment, he said nothing. The red of his saber retracted and he hitched it back onto his belt with a _click!_ His gloved hands reached up to touch his mask and it came off with a quiet hiss. He shook the sweat away from his long, black hair and breathed heavy as he took her in with his own eyes. A drop of rain slipped from his full lips. Rey's chest warmed the way it had when he unmasked himself the first time. The first time those dark eyes had set on her.

Now, she felt the warmth spread to her cheeks against her will, and it made it her grip the saber tighter. "Stay back. I mean it," she said.

Kylo dropped his mask into the wet grass. "I _am_ a monster. But the Force has been connecting us for a reason. You know it too. You're meant to stand with me."

She had no idea why the Force connected them. No idea why it bridged their minds and allowed him to see and explore the most intimate parts of her. But it certainly wasn't so she could join his league of murderous snakes.

He took a step forward. Her saber rose higher.

"Don't," she warned, but felt the threat weaken, looking into his softening eyes.

"Don't be afraid," he said gently and took another step, reaching for her hand.

Blood burned her freezing cheeks and she took a step back, not remembering there was nothing left to stand on. She gasped at Kylo's eyes widening with shock before she realized what was happening. She let out a scream at the sight of the island being pulled away from her and the waters waiting to claim her below. Panic shot down her spine as she fell backward, knowing she would crash into the water. Knowing she would drown.

Kylo Ren lunged forward and caught her arm as she fell over the edge. She dangled in the chilly air and looked up to see his determined expression, straining to hold them both. Relief surged through her. The warmth spread as she looked up at him. He stared back, holding her hand tighter as if to say he would not let go.

With a loud grunt, he began to pull her up. Rey kicked up her feet to find ground and help him, but his glove was too wet and slippery. She felt her hand sliding away from him, his eyes widening one last time, wider than they had been before.

Their hands slipped away from each other. Rey fell, Kylo screaming her name.


	3. Chapter 3: You

Her pounding heart leapt into her throat. Rey slammed into the water, raging waves welcoming her in. Cold seeped through her clothes, her loose hair, her mouth, her nose. Every inch of her skin enveloped in salt and ice. Her lungs burned for air and she kicked against the heavy weight dragging her down. Reaching for the ray of lightning she saw above the rippling surface.

She broke through. Gasped.

Rain fell like bullets on her head as she spat and choked. She wiped away water from her eyes to see, to find her way back to shore. But only panic spread through her blood. A colossal wave towered behind her, sinking her back down. Spinning her around. Suffocating her. _Please_, she begged. Her frightened tears bled into the water around her. Her stinging eyes followed another blast of lightning in the sky. She forced her legs to keep kicking, keep fighting. Master Luke was still up there. She had to help him. She -

Another furious wave came crashing down, knocking her into the rocks below her feet. The ocean toyed with her, beating her, carrying her away. It was pulling her out farther and farther, away from the island. She was going to die. Alone.

Rey shivered with realization, fear tightening her chest. She screamed for help, and only the water answered. It filled her mouth and ran down her throat. Fighting her back. The surface pulled further and further away. She reached up for it, her hand getting darker and darker the more she sunk down. Bubbles burst from her mouth. _Please_, was all she could think as the weight dragged her drown further. Down she floated, hearing another clap of thunder vibrate through the sea. More waves shook the darkness around her. Rey closed her eyes, more tears blending into the black water. _Mother. Father. Please._

Something wrapped tight around her waist.

_A claw, a tentacle_, she thought, cold numbing her fingers and toes. The dreaded sea monster Master Luke always talked about had come to finish the job. She let it keep taking her, hoping the pain would only last a second. But the claw only pulled her up. Her eyes still closed, she felt it drape her across skin, bone - someone's shoulder. Luke had come to save her.

Her arms dangled in the water as he carried her up, one arm tight around her waist. She felt the jerks of his body as he kicked against the water with ease. The old man could swim, she'd give him that.

They broke through the surface. Luke gasped and slipped an arm under her legs, light rain coming down on them. He held her close to him, as if afraid she would fall in again, and carried her out of the water. Rey, half-conscious, nuzzled her face against his bare chest, hearing the frantic beating of his heart.

He set her down on the soft wet sand, still holding her. "Rey?" he panted, his breath landing on her frozen lips.

She opened her eyes, choking out more water into the sand. She gripped his arm to keep from falling back and froze at the size of it. Luke's skinny, old arms had grown twice their size. His wide chest, rising and falling to catch his breath, was littered with scars. It warmed beneath her touch when she looked into his eyes. Those dark, gentle eyes. They studied her face, saw the blood warming her cheeks.

"You?" Rey gasped, shivering in Kylo Ren's arms.

"Me," Kylo said, trembling.

"Ben."

They looked up at the hooded figure emerging from the dark, standing over them. The saber he held bathed the beach around them green.

Kylo Ren froze when Luke pointed it at him. "Let her go."


	4. Chapter 4: The Fall

The clouded heavens above flashed with lightning. The storm had calmed. Luke's voice was the only thunder in their ears.

"Rey," Luke held his hand out for her, still pointing his saber at Kylo.

Kylo and Rey looked at each other one last time before Rey let her hand fall from his chest. Carefully, she slipped out of his arms and went to stand next to Luke. The green of his lightsaber hummed away, and he draped a dry cloak over Rey's shoulders.

"Are you alright?" he asked her. "Did he hurt you?"

"No," Rey shivered, shaking her head. "He... He saved me."

They both looked at Kylo standing tall before them, wet from head to toe and completely shirtless. Drops of rain fell from the ends of his black hair. From his trembling lips. His white skin glistened under the blue light of the moon, his muscles tightening with cold.

Rey wrapped her cloak around herself tighter and turned to Luke, ignoring the way her face grew hot. "The Knights of Ren?" she asked him, combing her fingers through her wet hair.

"Gone," Luke replied.

"You slaughtered my men?"Kylo barked.

"I gave them a choice," Luke frowned, his gray beard wet with rain. "Only two chose wisely. They didn't have time to wait for their master, I'm afraid. Yes," he answered Kylo's shocked expression. "They took the ship. You're stuck here."

Kylo's nostrils flared, his eyes dead set on Luke. "Go on then. Finish what you planned that night. Try. Unless you can't do it while I'm awake."

Rey's brows pulled together in confusion, but Luke seemed to know exactly what he meant. He cast his eyes down and hitched his saber back onto his belt. "There won't be any more blood spilled by my hands tonight. Besides, your mother would tear me to pieces."

"Not if I beat her to it," Kylo scowled. As much as he tried to keep his jaw set, Rey could hear his teeth chattering.

Luke only stepped forward, pulling out Kylo's saber from a pocket within his brown cloak, handing it to him. "You dropped this," Luke said.

Kylo snatched it from him without hesitation, pressing his thumb down on the activation stud. Nothing happened. No matter how many times he tried, his fiery red blade would not shoot out. He frowned at Luke as if to say, "What have you done?" and bared his teeth when he saw the Jedi hold out something small and shiny in his hand. A cracked, red kyber cystal. The heart of Kylo's saber.

Luke placed it back into another pocket. "You're to remain here. Until you remember who you are. Rey," he nodded at his apprentice to follow and turned on his heel, heading for the grassy stone steps beyond the dark beach.

"I know who I am!" Kylo shouted after him. "I do now after you and they kept it hidden from me all those years!"

"We kept that secret to protect ourselves. To protect you , Ben!" Luke shouted, walking back to him. "I'm not ashamed of my father. Anakin was a good man deep down. There was still light in him. As I know there is in you."

Kylo said nothing. Only stared at the Jedi with hate.

"Come now," Luke walked away. "You look frozen."

"I'd rather drown," Kylo muttered.

"Then start swimming," Luke replied, not even bothering to turn around that time.

Kylo's bare feet sunk in the wet sand when he stomped forward. His hands curled into fists ready to snap Luke's neck in two. He only stopped when Rey stepped in front of him, her hazel eyes looking up at him. She was determined to protect her master. Kylo stood rooted to the sand, the anger slowly fading from his face. Rey's eyes wandered over his naked torso. Without thinking, she slipped off the brown cloak Luke had given her. She offered it to Kylo.

The rain had lightened to a misty drizzle. She wouldn't need it. He's the one who looks two seconds away from death , she thought.

Hesitant at first, he took it, welcoming it around his wet shoulders. She didn't wait for a thank you – didn't really expect one – and turned to catch up to Luke. Halfway up the stone stairs, she looked back to see Kylo also climbing up behind them, still looking at her.

Rey looked away in an instant, a smile tugging at her lips.

Rey held out her hands, smoke wrapping around her fingers. The hot flames of her fire were small but they warmed her skin down to her bones in no time. The yellow glow flickered against the gray stones of her hut. After slipping on a dry change of clothes, she wrapped herself in a blanket and sat on a stone bench by the fire, a warm cup of tea in her hands. She listened to the crackling flames as she sipped. Warmth had always been the least of her worries. Fresh, cool water was what she usually thirsted for. Rey could only imagine the faces of those on Jakku if they could see how often it flowed here, flooding the grass and pouring down the stone steps like a waterfall.

Jakku…

What a turn her life had made. Only a week ago, she had been scavenging abandoned Empire ships, collecting enough junk to earn her dinner every night. Living in fear of thieves and the vile Unkar Plutt, whose small, ugly eyes ogled her every time she came to trade. Only a week ago, she had been sitting in the cold silence of her home. Scratching new marks on the wall that told how long she had been waiting for her family to return.

A dirty, penniless scavenger from Jakku turned Jedi knight. The excitement of it was always plagued with shame, as if her new title was undeserved. Jedi were the products of legend on Jakku. Great warriors from long lines of notable blood. As Luke Skywalker is. As Kylo Ren is. Master Luke had dismissed her insecurities, telling her Jedi came from all walks of life. Yet, the feeling remained, becoming an itch she could not scratch. Even here on Ach-To training under Luke and the support of her friends in the resistance, she felt as lonely as she had on Jakku. As if she still didn't belong.

"Rey?" Luke's voice croaked outside the hut, interrupting her thoughts.

"Come in," she said, and Luke pulled aside the tarp she substituted for a door. A small furry porg waddled in with him. It shook the rain from its feathers and plopped down near the fire. Rey smiled and scratched the top of its head. "Where is he?" she asked Luke.

"The caretakers were kind enough to clean out a hut for him," Luke sat on another stone bench opposite Rey. "Near mine. He won't bother you."

"He saved me," Rey said, still bewildered. "He could've let me drown and left to go find you. But he didn't. Why?"

Luke shrugged. "You told me he offered to be your teacher. He didn't want to lose his next apprentice, perhaps."

"I gave him my answer. That scar across his eye."

"Ben always was a stubborn boy," Luke chuckled, staring at the flames, losing himself in a memory.

Rey bit her lip at the name. "How did it happen, Master Luke? Why did he turn?"

Luke blinked, shifting uncomfortably in his seat. He swallowed. "There was always darkness in him. Since he was a boy. That mighty Skywalker blood ran through his veins more raw and powerful than anything I'd ever seen. Until now," he nodded at Rey. "I was foolish enough to think I could tame it. Leia... She trusted me with her son, and I took him. Him and twelve others and began a training temple. Still, even among other force-sensitive beings, Ben's power made him an outcast. His emotions always bled through no matter how hard he tried to contain them. And by the time I realized I was no match for the darkness rising in him... It was too late."

"What happened?" asked Rey.

Luke took a deep breath and closed his eyes. Rey studied his face as he recalled the memory. "I confronted him one night," he said. "And he turned on me. Left me for dead. Burned the whole temple down and murdered all my students. Save for the ones who followed him."

"The Knights of Ren."

Luke nodded. "Leia blames Snoke for turning him, but... I know it was me. I failed him. I failed them all."

Rey frowned, feeling more grateful for the distance between her and Luke's nephew. The look of grief on the old Jedi's face made her want to bury her staff in Kylo's gut.

"No. That's not true," she said to Luke. "You didn't fail Kylo. Kylo failed you. I won't."

Luke smiled, but traces of fear and doubt lingered on his face. He didn't know how much it stung her. "I know," he said, standing up with a grunt. "Get some rest. We'll start your next lesson tomorrow morning."

"Will he...?"

"No," he answered. "That's precisely what I came to say. It doesn't matter that he's here. He won't disrupt your training. I'll make sure of it. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have two men to clean and bury."

"Goodnight, Master Luke." Rey watched the old man leave her hut into the darkness of outside. Chilly wind swept in and made the fire shiver. The porg, fast asleep against Rey's leg, kicked his webbed foot when she set him down on the other bench. She pressed her hand to her mouth when she gave a deep yawn and curled up on her own rock mattress. The blankets she had draped over it did little to help. She would have been more than happy to utilize the comfy sleeping quarters of the Falcon, but Master Luke insisted it was part of her training. If chronic back pain was a part of being a Jedi, she was starting to rethink her decision.

_"Are you alright?"_

Goosebumps spread down her back at his voice, whispering in her ear again. She cleared her throat, keeping her face composed. "Fine. But I'd rather not do this now."

_"Sure,"_ Kylo said. _"I'm certain we'll have plenty of time to bump heads. Figure this connection out."_

"Well... Luke would prefer it if you kept away from me. While you're here."

A small silence lingered in which she thought the bond must have severed. But his deep voice came through again. _"Is that what you want?"_

Her own silence followed his question. She couldn't believe she was even turning it around in her head. This was her enemy. A murderer. A monster. Of course she should want to keep away. It surprised her, however, how much resistance she felt at the decision. How dismal the thought of staying away from him was. Nonetheless, she could not let him distract her training and everything she was working for. She wouldn't fail Master Luke.

"Yes," she lied, swallowing. "Yes, it's what I want."

The hurt she felt coming from his end was unexpected, only lasting a second before he composed himself as well. _"I understand. Goodbye then."_

"Kylo," Rey heard herself call out for him. "Thank you. For saving my life."

She liked the feeling of him smiling. _"Anytime,"_ he said._ "Goodnight, Rey."_


	5. Chapter 5: The Cavern

They all woke to the cries of porgs early the next morning, ringing like bells around the island. A normal occurrence on Ach-To. As was the curse Rey groaned when they interrupted her sleep. These days, she knew better than to simply ignore it. No matter _how _much she wanted to. Master Luke would come marching in to wake her back up each time she tried.

The porg from last night, still snoozing away on the other bench, rolled onto its back. Its feathered belly rose and fell in peaceful sleep. With envious eyes, Rey grabbed her bag and towel. There were no freshers on the island. No way of getting clean unless you bathed in the ocean like the caretakers. Fortunately, they had told Luke of a waterfall within the island's caves. Spewing clean, crystal water into a large pool that made the cavern walls glimmer. Known only to those who know where it is. Thanks to Luke, Rey happened to be one of those few.

With a loud yawn and her eyes squinting against the morning sun, she made her journey down another flight of steps. They curved down and around the island, leading her to a path that split in two. To her left, a grove of trees grew within two rocky walls. To her right, another path of stairs led her closer to the crashing waves below. With a skip, she went right. Sprinting down the stone steps, she breathed in the smell of salt from the ocean. Wind blew her loose hair into her face. She reached the bottom and rounded the corner with a grin, excited for the day's lesson.

She froze.

Kylo Ren sat on a rock outside the cavern entrance, a gray towel draped across his right shoulder. He had a leather-bound book in one big hand and a clump of grass in the other. A look of concentration furrowed his brow. Rey took a step back, thinking of fleeing back up the trail, but the twig that snapped under her foot betrayed her. He looked up at the sound, his face lighting up at the sight of her. He ripped the clump of grass out of the ground.

Still dressed in black from head to toe, he had swapped his cape and tunic for a simple shirt. The short sleeves looked tight around his arms. Rey was surprised they didn't rip when he stood up. "Hi," he closed the tattered text with care.

"Hello," Rey answered timidly, hugging her towel to her chest. All at once, she became aware of the sleepy mess on her head. Her disheveled clothes. The gunk she'd forgotten to scrape out of her eyes.

_Why should I care what I look like to him?_ She thought to herself. She didn't remember ever feeling this flustered around Luke in the mornings. The old man always looked worse, anyway. Yet, there was something different now that his nephew was here. Something she didn't quite understand.

She tore her eyes away from his gaze, clearing her throat. "Are you – Are you waiting - ?"

"For Luke," he nodded. "He should be out soon. He's been in there for a damn hour. Listen…"

They kept quiet. From inside, Luke's raspy voice echoed off the cavern walls, singing a cheery melody Rey recognized in an instant. After all the talk he'd spewed about the Jedi religion and refusing to be a resistance hero again, there he was. Singing the resistance fight song. She _knew_ the old Luke was still in there somewhere.

"Does _she_ still sing it?" Kylo asked Rey, scratching the back of his head. "My mother."

Rey read the worry in his eyes and knew what he really meant to ask. "She does. I got word from my friends she survived the explosion. She's in recovery. Unconscious, but she should be fine."

He pressed his lips together to hide the relief she felt coursing through him. Relief with hints of guilt. Kylo Ren, fearsome darksider, deeply cared for his mother. No matter how hard he tried to hide it.

Rey suppressed a laugh. "The sunrise looks beautiful. Don't you think?" She nodded to the sky behind him where the glowing sun was slowly making its way up past the clouds. He turned his head to look, and Rey quickly combed the knots out of her loose hair.

"Yeah. Yeah, I suppose it is," he said, turning back to look at her instead. He smiled. "But I've seen prettier."

Her heart fluttered like mad. He was only a few steps away, and against her better judgment, she found herself wishing he were closer. The way he was looking at her... It made her curious.

_Stop it_, she checked herself. _A Jedi controls their emotions. Especially around an enemy. _

She nodded at the book in his hand, avoiding his eyes. "I wouldn't have pegged you for a reader. What's that? Sith philosophy?"

"A history of the island, actually. From the caretaker's collection."

Her face bloomed red. "Oh. Right."

"Wiping out the resistance isn't my only past-time, you know. If you bothered to know me, you'd see."

"I know everything I need to know about you," she said.

"You do?" he took a step forward. "Ah, you do." Rey gulped, watching him come closer, doing nothing to stop him. "So, what else is there to do on this boring forsaken island? Talk to you?"

"If you're lucky," she replied. "It would be the highlight of your day."

"I don't doubt it," he said, inches away now. So close, she could reach out and touch his hand. His hair. His face.

She raised a brow, looking up into his needy eyes. "Or maybe not. According to you, I'm nothing but a scavenger."

"No," he shook his head, his tone gentle. "You're more than that."

His gaze moved back and forth between her eyes and lips. Rey's insides twisted in nervous knots the closer he got. She wondered if he felt it too.

"Rey."

She jumped back from Kylo at once. Luke, hair still damp from his bath, frowned at her from the cavern entrance. "Rey, go on ahead," he nodded towards the inside. "I need to speak to Ben for a moment."

She didn't hesitate to obey and avoided Luke's eyes as she walked past him. Once she turned into the cavern's mouth, she stopped. Her back against the cave wall, she listened.

"What did I tell you about staying away from her?" She heard Luke demand.

"It's an island," Kylo replied. "There are only so many places I can go. It isn't my fault if we run into each other."

"She's a nice girl," Luke said. "She's already susceptible to the dark because of her past. We don't need it getting worse because of _your_ influence."

Kylo remained silent. But the feeling of rage and hurt boiling his blood overwhelmed Rey. Luke's words made him feel like a rotten disease. When he finally spoke again, his deep voice was quiet. "That's her decision. Not yours."

"I mean it, Ben!" Luke thundered. "Keep away from her."

She listened for more but no sound other than Luke's grumbling as he walked away reached her ears. Frowning, she carried on inside. The sound of her steps bounced off the walls.

She wondered how many times Luke had spoken to his nephew that way. How many times he'd been made to feel like a devil. _The more he hears it, the more he believes it_, she thought as she stripped away her clothes, dipping her foot into the pool's clear water. Warm. Just right. She grabbed a bar of soap from her bag and walked in further, until the water touched her breasts. Until the water falling from above showered the top of her head. Sunlight shined through the cracks up top, and Rey loved the way it turned the pool a whole rainbow of colors.

After dressing and tying up her hair in her usual buns, she made her way out of the cavern. To her delight, Kylo was still there waiting when she walked out. But the happy smile from before was gone. His gloomy eyes merely glanced at her and he shut his book, walking into the cave without a word.


	6. Chapter 6: Something Else

"Breathe... Just breathe."

The scent of dirt and grass filled Rey's nose. Eyes closed, she exhaled through pursed lips, pretending she was blowing away a cloud.

"Back straight," Luke said.

She straightened her shoulders and adjusted her crossed legs on the large boulder where she sat. She couldn't fathom how Master Luke sat on this rock, high up on this cliff, for hours every day and not flung himself out of boredom. Only twenty minutes had passed since they'd begun her lesson, but her bottom was already sore.

_Never mind that. Focus_, she thought. As her breath left her lips so did the nerves from her mind. Warm wind whistled in her ears.

"Breathe... Concentrate."

_I am_, she wanted to say.

"Focus."

_It's a bit difficult when you keep -_

"Now," he said, "reach out. And not with your hand."

Her hand came up an inch as he said it and then settled back down on her knee. Feeling her way through the air around her, her energy, warmth began building inside her. It emerged through her fingertips towards the small rocks huddled together on the edge of the cliff. They trembled from her power, clacking against each other. She envisioned them high above the cliff, floating in midair, and then opened her eyes. The stupid rocks hadn't moved an inch.

"Eyes closed," Luke reminded her.

"I can't concentrate without looking at it," she said.

"Here's some advice: don't trust your eyes. They're deceitful. Trust your feelings. Try again."

She huffed and straightened her spine, breathing in once more. This time, the smell of the sea surrounded her. She felt the grainy sand spilling through her fingers. The taste of salt in the water. Lightning shooting through the dark sky. Kylo's breath hot on her lips.

_For Maker's sake._ Blood rushed to her cheeks. The memory sent a ripple down her spine, down to the tips of her toes. She wiggled them in her boots, concentrating. Her warmth spread again, leaving her palms and flowing past the rocks. The force guided her mind beyond the cliff, through the windy air. Past mountain peaks and clouds that blurred her sight. Her body still sat on the boulder, Luke standing next to her, the sun shining down on them both. She felt it all. Yet, eyes closed, the force lured her mind away. Up rickety stairs, through bushes, grass, and trees until the dirt turned to sand. There, barefoot among rocks and shells, Kylo Ren sat staring at the foaming water running up the beach with every wave. His book was open in his hand, a pear in his lap, but his eyes seemed distracted, lost in thought. Too curious to stop herself, Rey pressed in further, her lips parting at the images.

She felt his frustration at failing his mission, and his rage at the Knights who fled like cowards. He worried Snoke would think even less of him once he heard. Might even leave him here. With Luke, whom he feared. He felt how the Jedi despised him. Loneliness. Confusion about... about her.

The second she appeared in his thoughts; the others melted away. Only the memory of Rey standing before him after rescuing her lingered. The way her wet clothes stuck to her body. The drops of rain sliding down her chest into her shirt. The cute crease of her brows whenever she shot him a look of defiance. The way her cheeks burned pink whenever he came close to her. This girl. His nemesis. The one who'd slashed that hideous scar on his face. The thought of her taking his path, of becoming the miserable thing he was, tore at his chest. He had made up his mind to keep away from her and prevent it from happening. Somehow, the feeling of that was worse. He _wanted_ to be close to her.

Rey bit her lip, and Kylo looked.

"Are you enjoying yourself?" he frowned.

_Very much_, she responded through her thoughts. _As much as _you_ did when you interrogated me._

"I didn't enjoy that," he said, running his thumb down the spine of his book. "But I needed the map. I tried my best not to frighten you."

_Why? Why not? Why did you save me?_

He swallowed. "I don't know. Because... Because I want you."

A mutual shock vibrated through the bond. Rey pressed her lips together, trying her best not to let him hear what she was thinking.

"As - as my apprentice. Of course," he said quickly, covering his reddening face with his hand. "I've never... I've never met anyone who thought like me. Or had my power. You were something else." He shook his head anyhow. "I'm sorry."

_Well... thank you,_ was all she could think to say. She didn't understand. This man wasn't behaving like the monster she knew. He wasn't thinking the way she had expected him to. She despised him for what he had done. For everything he had _tried_ to do. Yet, there was something else about him too. Something different from the monster he pretended to be.

Light. Light shined beneath his dark eyes.

"Rey?" Luke's voice was a whisper in the back of her mind. But the fear flooding through Kylo when he heard it was deafening.

The bond broke. She gasped, opening her eyes. The rocks on the cliff sat undisturbed. Next to her, Luke gave her a look. "You know, when I was your age, I could lift a whole x-wing out of a swamp."

"And you did it on your first try?" Rey asked.

Luke narrowed his bright, blue eyes. "What is it? What's troubling you?"

"He's afraid of you," she said. "Why is he so afraid of you?"

The color drained from his face. "What has he been telling you?"

"Nothing, I -"

"You're still connected to him. Aren't you? Rey, listen to me -"

"No, you listen," she snapped. "Master Luke, I'm thankful for your teachings. Truly. But your nephew is the least of our worries right now. Have you thought about what I asked?"

He shook his head. "Rey, not this again -"

"The First Order has already wiped out most of the fleet. The Resistance needs a hero. A _real_ hero! We need Luke Skywalker. Without the Jedi we don't stand a chance against them."

His bushy, gray brows came together in a frown. "Luke Skywalker is dead. The Jedi are dead. I've told you this. I'm only training you at Leia's request. Teaching you to tame your powers – _not_ to be a Jedi. I've already done enough to cause this war." He turned and walked back down the rocky cliff. "You romanticize the Jedi like everyone else. Strip away the myth and you'll find nothing more than hypocrisy and failure. It was their carelessness that led to the creation of Darth Vader."

"That's not true!" she shouted after him. "Luke, we can't just sit here and meditate while our friends are dying!"

"No?" he looked back. "But that's exactly what a Jedi _would_ do. Nothing. That burn inside you. That anger you feel imagining what might happen. The Jedi say ignore that. Only act when you can maintain balance. Even if people you love get hurt."

She stared, bewildered at this man, this Jedi legend. "What's happened to you?"

"The Resistance doesn't need a failed husk of a religion, Rey," he said. "They don't need a failure to guide them."

She jumped off the boulder and came to stand in front of her master, her voice near a sob. "That legend of Luke Skywalker that you hate so much? I believed in it. It gave me hope. I came here thinking I'd find the answer to the war. That I'd find someone to show me my place in all this. I was wrong." She marched past him back into the temple, tears burning behind her eyes.


	7. Chapter 7: Ben Solo

The island trembled with thunder that night. The caretakers, anticipating what their guests did not, left fresh firewood outside their huts for the coming storm.

Rey was still fuming by the time she made it back. Already decided she wouldn't join Luke for another bowl of rank stew, she caught dinner on her own. She scraped away the scales and cleaned the meat off its bones in silence, looking up every few minutes. The sight of gray clouds slowly swallowing the sky filled her with dread.

Later, alone in her hut, belly full of fish, she lit her candles and piled more wood onto her small fire. She listened to the rain pouring against the stones outside. The wind howled and screeched, viciously pushing against the tarp covering her door. But it was the thunder, that frightening, booming noise that chilled Rey's skin. She wrapped her blanket around her shaky shoulders, cursing herself for not leaving earlier. Luke had refused the idea of returning the first time she'd asked as well, but she had pressed on. She had been naive, convinced she would be the one to find him and bring him home.

_What a fool I was,_ she thought. The grumpy, stubborn old man wasn't interested in any on it. And something told her he would never be, no matter what she said or did. Another blast of thunder roared in the sky. The ground shook beneath her feet, and fear swarmed in her chest. She would pack her things. She would fire up the falcon at first light and send word to the Resistance of her return. She would leave this forsaken island. Empty-handed. Not one bit closer to figuring out how to help her friends. Or where she belonged.

She sighed, feeling the familiar loneliness begin to settle in her chest. A tear fell from her watering eyes.

"Rey?" someone called from outside.

_Luke coming to apologize_, she figured. "Go away!"

"Rey, I feel your fear all the way from my hut," said the voice. Kylo's voice. "It won't let me sleep. Can I come in?"

"No," she wiped a tear, her heart pounding. "I'm fine."

"You're not, and you know it."

She couldn't see him but felt the way he shivered from the cold. How numb his toes were from the long walk he had braved to come see her. She grabbed the lightsaber buried in her bag and hid it behind her back. Her thumb rested over the activator. She pulled aside the tarp and the chilly wind blew out her candles. The flames of her fire dimmed to an orange glow.

The cloak Kylo wore, long and gray, shielded him from the rain but did little to keep out the chill. Her gaze moved up his body and then met his eyes. Wet strands of his black hair poked out beneath his hood, hanging over his forehead. Her skin warmed at the sight of him.

"You're crying," he remarked. "You want to tell me again how you're fine?"

"It's not your problem-"

"It is when it interferes with my sleep," he said, wincing as more wind pushed him forward. He placed a hand atop the stone frame to keep from bumping into her. "What's the matter? Is it the storm?"

Rey kept silent, staring at his lips. Cold goosebumps spread across her skin, underneath her clothes.

"Luke?"

She frowned at hearing her master's name. That disappointing, sour, bearded old coot.

"Is it… Is it your parents?" He was careful with his words.

Rey blinked, dumbfounded. She had never told him about her parents. Not once. Not even Luke knew the whole truth. Yet, there was concern in his expression, as if afraid he might hurt her by simply mentioning them. She lowered the saber hidden behind her back.

"I'll go get Luke. If you'd rather not see me," he said, turning away.

As if by instinct, she reached for his hand, gripping it tight. "No. I don't want you to go."

He laced his fingers through hers. "I won't," he reassured her. "Will you invite me in then? I can't feel my legs anymore."

She led him inside and tacked the tarp back in place. Turning around, she found him stoking her fire, adding wood and blowing on the flames until they were bright and yellow again. He slipped off his cloak and sat on the stone bench the porg had slept on, warming his hands against the heat. "You still don't trust me," he nodded at the saber still in her hand.

"I don't trust anyone." She sat on the other bench and placed the saber back into her bag, within reach. Just in case.

"You trust the traitor," he said. Rey felt jealousy fuming through him, along with the effort he was making to hide it.

" _Finn _is my friend," she frowned. "He cares for me."

"So do I," he snapped, looking away.

"Do you? You have a funny way of showing it."

"It isn't a talent of mine. It's not something I'm used to."

"You don't walk through storms to comfort _ all _your apprentices then?"

He smirked. "No. Just you."

A tiny smile curled her lips, but it vanished when a flash of light peeked in underneath the tarp. She shut her eyes tight and gripped the stone bench, flinching when a clap of thunder quickly followed.

"You know," Kylo said, "there's a trick you might find useful. Something my father taught me as a kid."

She moved to the edge of her bench, making room for him. "Will you show me?"

He didn't hesitate to come sit next to her, one leg on each side of the small bench. Being so close to him made her heart flutter with nerves. The kind she liked. Forgetting the saber completely, Rey reached out her hand, and he took it, caressing it. She liked the feel of his skin on hers. She liked the relief washing over her, hearing his voice.

"You breathe," he said quietly. "Relax. Now, when you hear it, count the seconds it takes to hear it again."

"That's it?"

"Try it," he nodded.

She closed her eyes, breathing, and quivered at the next blast. Holding his hand tighter, she began. "One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six -" Another rumble interrupted, much quieter than the last. Rey opened her eyes this time and looked into his, studying the features of his face. "One... Two... Three... Four... Five... Six... Seven... Eight..." More thunder answered her, but, for once, she wasn't so afraid. Like a game. The storm seemed to be moving away.

"See?" Kylo smiled. "Not so bad."

She shied away from his gaze and stared at their hands still together. Oddly, she had no desire to let go. Next to them, the fire crackled.

"Will you tell me why you were crying now?" he asked.

Her fingers traced the lines of his palm. Hot tears gathered around her eyes. "I thought I'd find answers here. I thought it would lead me somewhere. Show me what I've been looking for. I was wrong," her voice cracked. "I've never felt so alone."

He took her other hand. "You're not alone, Rey. I promise you're not."

A tear spilled down her cheek. "Neither are you, Ben."

It took her a second to realize what she had called him, and her eyes widened. She waited for the grimace he gave whenever Luke called him Ben, but none came. Instead, he only smiled, looking down at her lips.

"Will you tell me something now?" she asked.

"Anything."

She gulped. "Why did you hate your father?"

His sigh was heavy, but he did not anger as she had expected. His thumbs ran gently over her knuckles. "I didn't hate him."

"Then why?"

"I might've thought you would know that. Your parents abandoned you, too. Threw you away."

"They didn't -"

"They did. Just like mine. But you can't stop needing them."

"Your father loved you," she sobbed, pulling her hands away. "He gave a damn about you!"

"If he did, I never knew," he said. "He never bothered to tell me anything other than how strange I was. You probably spent more time with him than I ever did."

"But - but your mother..."

"They were around," he said. "Just never around me. Once my power frightened them enough, they separated, and they passed me on to Luke. I hardly ever saw them again." His eyes cast down and he chewed the inside of his cheek. "It doesn't compare, I know. But it feels the same."

Never in a million years would she have thought his family to be anything but perfect. The family she had always dreamed of. Looking at Ben now, miserable and broken, she grasped that maybe he had not gotten there all by himself. "I'm sorry," Rey whispered. "It does feel nice to talk about it. To someone who understands."

"It does," Ben agreed. Outside, the storm had quieted to a drizzle once more, and the flames of her fire began to dim. "I should let you get some sleep. Wouldn't want you dozing off in the middle of your lesson and falling off that cliff," he grinned.

She sighed; a bit downhearted. "I'm - I'm not taking my lesson tomorrow."

"You're leaving?" he guessed, or rather read her mind. "Why?"

"Your uncle is impossible," she rolled her eyes and pulled her buns loose, combing her hair with her fingers.

"He never _was _a very good teacher," Ben nodded. "What if I taught you? A little."

Rey suppressed a grin. Her heart leapt with excitement at the idea. "How? He has a heart attack every time he catches us together."

"So, we'll meet in secret," he shrugged, smiling again. "Maybe after dinner? Once I'm done barfing that foul stew he gives me."

Her cheeks blushed. "I could teach you to fish, if – if you'd like. Unless you like the diarrhea. He seems to."

They both laughed, and the fire extinguished completely. In the dark, his hand found its way into hers again. "Tomorrow then."

He draped his cloak back on and she walked him to the door, their fingers lacing together again. They both knew the other didn't want to let go.

"Goodnight, Ben," she whispered.

"Goodnight, Rey," his eyes softened the more he looked at her.

Slowly, his hand slipped away, and he headed back the way he came, back into the night. Rey watched until he was out of sight and settled into her rigid bed. The soft rain outside soothed her senses, but it could not calm her beating heart. She fell asleep thinking of Ben Solo, knowing that, several huts away, he was thinking of her too.


	8. Chapter 8: Master Ren

"Well, I suppose we can try again tomorrow," Luke sighed.

Rey's forehead glistened with sweat. The sun had beat down all morning, enough to remind her of her burning home world. She scowled at the three rocks sitting at the edge of the cliff, unperturbed, mocking her with every passing second. The lump of shame in her throat was hard to swallow; as was the humiliation of failing, yet again, to move the rocks even an inch.

"Master Luke, I know I can do it," she breathed out and wiped away her sweat. Concentrated.

"Rey, it's alright," he reassured. "Some force users just require more practice, that's all."

"But we've been at it for hours!" she spit. "It isn't working. How am I going to help The Resistance when I can't even lift a kriffing rock!"

"Language," Luke frowned and came to stand before her, placing his hands on the sacred rock where she sat. "You need to empty your mind and focus. Forget about The Resistance. Let them be a small voice in the back of your mind."

_Is that what _you _do?_ She wanted to snap but held her tongue. An ugly, bitter feeling boiled through her, and guilt followed in tow. She didn't want to be thinking such thoughts, especially in Luke's presence. He already considered her power raw and potentially dangerous. Yet, the dark thoughts were alluring, too tempting to refuse. Rey liked how powerful they made her feel.

She huffed and looked at his hands tapping impatiently against the rock. His metal fingers moved in perfect time with the ones made of flesh. "Take a rest. I'm running late for a meeting with the elder caretakers, anyhow. Practice your mediation and we'll pick it back up again tomorrow."

She shook her head. "Once more. Just once. Please."

He sighed, nodding. "Alright. Go on then."

Rey shut her eyes. Breathed. She pushed outside herself once more, shooing away the dark thoughts clouding her head, but they clung on for dear life. She felt their sharp claws digging into her shoulders, cold against her skin.

"Rey?" she heard Luke ask.

_No. No. I can do this, Master Luke. I can do this._

She tried shrugging the darkness off, but it held on tight, crawling up her neck, breathing into her ear.

"Rey!" Luke's shout came through as a whisper.

The world trembled beneath her. Fear tightened her throat. "Ben..." her hand reached for him, for his warmth and comfort, but the dark was impossible to penetrate. Chills crept down her spine and burned into her blood. _They left me_, she found herself thinking. A child's voice sobbed in the back of her mind. Her fists curled on her knees and her face grew hot with rage. _They didn't want me. What's wrong with me..._ Over and over, she repeated it, screaming it in her head. Darkness cloaked her with ease, and she let it, drowning in its luscious waters. Filling her with power.

"REY!" Luke's voice boomed in her ears and shattered it all to pieces.

Her eyes snapped open and she lunged forward, gasping for breath. A deep crack had cut through the sacred rock, splitting it in two.

Next to her, Luke took a step back, shaken. "You went straight to the dark... To him. You didn't even try to stop yourself."

Rey shook her head. Beads of sweat ran down her temples. "It was calling me. I tried pushing away, but I was angry – I'm sorry. Master Luke?"

"I'm such a fool," Luke said. "I should have never made him stay. I should have thrown him onto a ship and sent him off to his mother. I thought I could make amends for what I did, but..."

She frowned. "You mean Ben?"

"The connection you have to him is spreading his thoughts onto you. He's luring you to the dark, Rey."

"Luke, he has nothing to do with this. He doesn't make it worse – he helps me."

"Helps you? Your pull to the dark was so strong you nearly cut through the whole cliff! You could've killed us both. Exactly what he wants."

"Why are you so intent on hating him?" she scowled. "Maybe he's not the person you think he is - "

"No. He's not the person _you _think he is."

Her brows came closer together. "Your father slaughtered thousands across the galaxy. Betrayed the Jedi Order. Murdered your master and tried to turn _you_. But you forgave him. Ben is your family as well. What's stopping you from forgiving _him_?"

"You don't understand," Luke turned away. "I've seen what he's capable of. Your power is equal to his. Snoke would revere him if he were to turn you. Think, Rey! The amount of power in his hand if he had his claws in both of you."

"That would never happen," she said. "I promised you I wouldn't fail you, didn't I? That includes The Resistance. That won't change just because he's here."

"Let's hope," he walked back into the temple.

Carefully, Rey hopped off the sacred rock and followed him into the shade, remembering something peculiar. "Wait, Master Luke. What did you mean before? Make amends for what?"

He stopped walking. His last step echoed off the stone walls. On the ground, the water in the prime Jedi mosaic became still.

"Everything," he said, and walked off.

Her mood soured and her spirit withered, Rey plopped down next to the mosaic, running her fingers through the clear water. Gold sunlight streamed in through the open archway and made the black and white rocks of the mosaic sparkle. Her finger traced the white circle embedded into the black side, Ben's face coming to mind. The memory of him in her hut. His wet hair hanging over his forehead. His skin on hers. The warmth she felt when he was near.

She looked around the temple to assure Luke had gone and cleared her throat. Her belly fluttered with nerves at the idea.

"Ben?" Her voice rang through the empty temple. The water in the mosaic shuddered in ripples.

_Well hello, Jedi_, he answered.

The sound of his voice elated her. "Good morning, warlord. Am I interrupting anything?"

_Only my meditation_, he smirked. _I was seconds away from fully turning. Way to go._

"Well, good. Then I've just saved thousands from your tantrums."

_Millions_, he said. _Think about it, though. Everyone gone. Just you and me. A whole galaxy to ourselves. _

She bit her lip to keep from smiling wider. "That sounds rather boring, really."

_Boring?_ She felt him frown. _I'd kill for it. Literally._

"You would murder everyone to be alone with me, how thoughtful," she rolled her eyes. "I thought you might want to explore it on your own."

_Without you? Now _that _would be boring._

"Well, you're not wrong," she agreed with a smile and slipped her hand under the water again. Her fingertips slid over the shimmering mosaic. "But why am I the exception?"

A long pause followed her question in which his thoughts scrambled like mad in his head. She heard their noise, loud one minute, quiet the next. _You know why_, he finally said.

Her heart picked up pace, matching his. "Do I?"

_Yes. _

"Is it about you?" she asked quietly.

_Yes._

"And me?"

_Yes..._

"You're afraid I'll beat you if you even try, aren't you?" her face warmed with laughter, and he smiled at the sweet sound; like chiming bells.

_You got me_, he grinned. _How was your lesson?_

She hugged her knees to her chest and groaned. "Dreadful. I don't know what I'm doing wrong."

_Why don't you come tell me about it? I want to show you something, anyhow. _

"Where are you?" she asked, standing.

_My hut. You know, the one they built on the other side of the planet. _

"You mean the hut covered in moss away from the others?"

_That's the one. Luke picked it out especially for me. The book said the villagers used it to quarantine their sick when a plague broke out a century ago, so... That was nice of him. _

The most dilapidated hut of them all by far; it was situated near a massive tree, isolated from the others as he had said. The elderly tree's bark was dry and cracked. Its branches hung sideways over the hut. They were bare of leaves but coated in moss, as bright green as the moss growing between the hut's stones. It was soft and spongey to Rey's touch.

She stood just outside after climbing down from the Jedi temple, staring at the tarp Ben had hung over his door. She looked back, thinking of Luke, imagining how pink and scary he would get if he knew where she was. He would think the worst if he found her here. A struggle ensued in her head, and she hesitated to march forward. Her encounter with the dark earlier had frightened her enough.

She felt Ben's energy surrounding the hut, the tree, the air around them. Vigorous and intense as it was, there was also conflict stitched in-between. Conflict amid his darkness. It tugged at his core, pulling him towards the light. Ben Solo was torn, more torn than he would care to admit. He wasn't lost. Not yet. It filled Rey with wonderful hope.

_Are you afraid?_ His voice came through, louder now that she was closer.

_No_, she replied, startled by her own answer. A million emotions ran through her being, but fear was not one of them. She longed to walk inside, to see him again. No matter what Master Luke might say. He was wrong about Ben. The Force, quietly humming around them, encouraged her with a gentle push forward.

_Come here then_, he whispered gently. _I want to see you too._

Gripping her staff, Rey took a breath and she pulled the tarp aside. She walked into the shadowy hut, and her body froze in place. Her skin sprouted in bumps at the sight of him.

"Ben..." Rey gasped.

A ray of white light peeked in through a small window above, settling on him in the center. He was naked from the waist up again. Eyes closed. Legs crossed. He was levitating an inch off the ground, and his books, parchment, and pens floated higher still. They surrounded him as he meditated. A look of deep concentration roughened the features of his face. Rey gazed at it all open-mouthed. The desire to do it herself burned in her veins.

His gentle eyes peeked open and he settled back on the ground. The rest of his possessions followed suit. His pens dropped next to his ink bottles with a quiet _clink! _Clouds of dust formed from the old pages of his texts.

"Sorry," he coughed, waving the dust away and standing to meet her.

She pressed her lips together, mindful of his size. He wasn't wet like he had been the night he rescued her, but Rey still felt her emotions churn. She avoided his eyes, her face flushing. "Er - do you have something? A cowl or something you can put on?"

He smirked, but he didn't fight her. "Yes," he said and called for his black shirt left abandoned in his "bed". It flew straight into his hand and he slipped it on with ease.

"How did you do that?" Rey asked.

He ran a hand through his messy hair. "Years of practice. And Luke shouting. And Snoke shouting after that."

"You mean it will take years for me to be that powerful?" her tone gave away her disappointment.

"You _are _that powerful. You just need to hone it, that's all. I'll teach you. Just call me Master Ren."

She nearly burst out laughing, crossing her arms in defiance. "I'm not calling you that."

"We'll see," he smiled. His eyes wandered over her as well, and Rey blushed scarlet at the thoughts she couldn't help but hear. He noticed the curves of her hips in her clothes. How beautiful she looked in white. He liked the cute wisps of hair hanging on either side of her chin. Her lips, plump and pretty, garnered most of his attention. She stepped closer to him with confidence and his gaze moved to her eyes. He towered over her yet felt small in her presence. He was brimming with nerves as well, and they only got louder the closer she got. An inch away from touching him, she stared up into his dark eyes, waiting. But his pounding heart rendered him silent.

"Are you ready for your fishing lesson then?" she asked quietly.

He flexed his right hand, his fingers lightly brushing hers. "Starving for it."

"Good. Just call me Master Rey," she winked and turned on her heel. Using her staff, she pulled aside the tarp, and they both stepped out into the hot sun.


End file.
